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Nash and Arctic Fox

A nuthatch stopped at the feeder during the third week and I noticed some old elk droppings. Have not seen any elk around the property. Back in 2013, it was time to purchase my fourth RV. I still wanted to stay with the off-grid hardwall camping lifestyle. It was fabulous. After quite a bit of research, I decided on a Northwood Nash 17K, a 22’ trailer. After all this time, it has held up well and I sure put it to the test numerous times over the years. Even now, if I was going to go back to that lifestyle, I would purchase another Nash 17K. But at this stage of my life, it would be too difficult for me. Here on my acre in Timberon, not being hooked up to a power line, nor the water system and no cell phone or internet access is as close as I can get to it. And as I’ve said, I still want to continue with this pseudo off-grid lifestyle, just not here. Back in 2013, after I decided on the Nash, I called the RV dealership in La Grande, OR, the city where the Northwood mfg. factory wa...
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hail and here to stay

The morning after I got back to Timberon, the house batteries read 12.3V. It did not seem right since the day of the drive was sunny so the batteries should have gotten a full charge. I only had two LEDs on in the evening, the batteries should not have dropped so much during the night. Next day sun, next morning 12.3V. Battery fluid is topped up. Next morning 12.2V, which is minimum. I’m thinking the life of these two 6V batteries are up. Towed the 5x8’ cargo trailer back onto my acre to seriously weed down my possesions; 200 pounds would be nice May 5 it hailed. M&M’s ears went up, not liking the loud sound on the roof. All three of us were thinking—busted roof vent. This time it was holes in the floor pan of the window cage and a weather strip on the Ford’s roof and a busted roof edge of a bird feeder that got nailed. Not even going to look at all the new dents in the pickup’s hood and roof. First came to Timberon in September 2017 and set up on a friend’s lot. Spent some...
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March and April

If you have not visited my friend’s blog from the high desert, the new link is. https://masonmartiniestate.wordpress.com/2023/09/23/you-made-it/ One day I was reading a CNN ‘Analysis ’ article, I read every one I come across. It mentioned that someone was wearing a, ‘Make Lying Wrong Again’ hat at a protest. I ordered a sticker and will put it near the, Make America Think Again sticker on the Nash. I spent time with two friends I met in the NM state parks when we all spent winters in them. Met one first, probably 2007 or ’8. The other a couple years later. Over the years we crossed paths in the parks and caught up on our lives. It was nice, seeing friends we have not seen in a year. Now these friends live in an same RV park south of Silver City. A park I like and spent a winter there during covid and another when one of the two NMSPs I stay in was closed for renovations. I just spent a month looking for a few acres, zoned unrestricted, near Silver City. ...
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January and February

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An unused, southern Utah photo from my ‘off grid hard wall camping’ days. One of our ‘out for a walk’ shots. Take a look at, “Cruising Belgium On A Canal Boat (full tour)” on YouTube. It’s a bit different since the coupe rented a Magnifique C555, not the standard canal boat. They set up the reservation through leboat.com and it advertises no experience necessary. At Westhoek Marina in Nieuwpoort, Belgium, they took care of the paperwork, learned how the boat and locks worked and cast off. In 2015, David Johns quit my job, sold his house and went to live in a narrowboat on the historic canals of Britain. I came across his videos on YouTube and checked out his “Cruising the Cut” YouTube channel. His website is https://www.CruisingTheCut.co.uk David started with videos of his travels and now documents various aspects of canal life. Nicely done. Was finishing healing of the left foot when a screw started to back out of the big toe. No problem, what’s one more setback! Woke me up ...
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riding the rails, poles and Moses

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Rail biking is pedaling along railroad tracks in open-air cars with semi-recumbant seating. Cars are for either two or four people. The companies run their excursions on tracks that have been decommissioned for train use or scheduled between trains coming through. No need to play chicken. Excursions can run 1-4 hours. There is a rest halfway through while the guides turn the cars around. Sounds pretty cool. Joseph Branch Railriders in Oregon, Rail Explorers operates in six states and Revolution Rail Co. in four states. Might be other rail companies. Guides accompany riders and administer safety checks and provide instructions. Remember party lines? No, not the current meaning; I’m talking phone lines. I remember ours from when I was a kid in Clifton, NJ. What a pain in the butt. Remember sniffing the ditto paper before starting on the quiz? Guess we have made some progress. Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/ Decembe...
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September, October and November

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A RV park. Guano. Both surgeries are done. Had my last surgery on November 6. And yes, once again I remembered to thank every one in the operating room for their help, before I was put under. A simple thing, but how often do you think it occurs? Left foot still in splints. The surgeon had trouble with my big toe. It had moved outward over the months so it was laying under the #2 and 3 toes. Didn’t want to come back to its original position. So not only is there a titanium plate with 5 screws but also a 2” screw through the top of the toe. Wonder what all that is going to feel like when walking. Probably be out of splints in another 2 weeks or so and into a boot for another couple weeks. Is this what is referred to as, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? I will then get back to daily walks. Boot equates with short ones. But the ball will be in my court and I’m gonna pick it up. Don’t think I will be running with it. Finally had a new set of steps put in. Definitely saf...
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trimming excess, Air, walk-around, bone conduction and probably should

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I had a slew of tool and supplies from years of silversmithing. Including all tools and materials for teaching a class of twelve, so students did not have to purchase anything, other than the sterling silver. This a a photo of the last of my stuff sitting in the back of my pickup. Sold it through craigslist Las Crusus. Now I am down to one Large toolbox with enough tools to make whatever I would wish to make. I’m good. I decided to not have my MacBook Pro repaired. Purchased a MacBook Air. I never needed all the power and features of a Pro, but it is such an awesome laptop, that I just wanted one. Anyway, for what I use a computer for, the Air is plenty. So much for purchasing a Chromebook. I enjoyed learning how to use it, along with Google Drive, Docs and whatnot. Might use it when staying in a spot with wi-fi. No regrets. There were some procedures I needed help with so I called a friend in Moab. Yep, the one who initially told me about ChromeBook years ago. She set up a Goog...
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